Factors influencing the greenhouse effect

Factors influencing the greenhouse effect

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There are three main factors that directly influence the energy balance of the earth: the total energy influx, which depends on the earth's distance from the sun and on solar activity; the chemical composition of the atmosphere, and albedo, the ability of the earth's surface to reflect light. The only factor that has changed significantly in the last 100 years is the chemical composition of the atmosphere. This resource also includes a graphic that shows how the amounts of carbon dioxide (in parts per million), methane (in parts per billion) and nitrous oxide (in parts per billion) in the earth's atmosphere have increased from the year 1000 to the year 2000. The graphic also shows how the amount of radiative forcing, in watts per square metre, has increased for each chemical.

Melting snow on KilimanjaroAt the February 2001 meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), researchers reported dramatic changes in the volume of ice capping the Kibo summit of Kilimanjaro.This graphic shows the est...

By Delphine Digout, UNEP/GRID-Arendal

Greenhouse effectHuman activities are causing greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere to increase. This graphic explains how solar energy is absorbed by the earth's surface, causing the earth to warm and to emit infrared radiation. The g...

By Philippe Rekacewicz, UNEP/GRID-Arendal

Aridity ZonesForty percent of Africa's population lives in arid, semi-arid, and dry subhumid areas. Climate change may lead to an increase in arid zones that are susceptible to drought. This graphic shows the locations of humid, mois...

By Delphine Digout, UNEP/GRID-Arendal

Water availability in AfricaWater resources are inextricably linked with climate, so the prospect of global climate change has serious implications for water resources and regional development (Riebsame et al., 1995). This graphic shows water avail...

By Digout, Delphine, based on a sketch by Philippe Rekacewicz; UNEP/GRID-Arendal

Climate change vulnerability in AfricaMultiple stresses make most of Africa highly vulnerable to environmental changes, and climate change is likely to increase this vulnerability. This graphic shows which of the regions of Africa (North Africa, West Africa,...

By Delphine Digout, UNEP/GRID-Arendal

Lake Chad - decrease in area 1963, 1973, 1987, 1997 and 2001Straddling the borders of Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon in West Africa, Lake Chad has been a source of freshwater for irrigation projects in all these countries. This graphic traces the shrinkage of Lake Chad and cha...

By Philippe Rekacewicz, UNEP/GRID-Arendal

Food Production IndexPer capita food production is declining in Africa, but it is increasing steadily in the world as a whole. This graphic shows the net food production per capita (PIN base 1989-1991) for Africa and for the world for the ti...

By Digout, Delphine, based on a sketch by Philippe Rekacewicz; UNEP/GRID-Arendal

Changing Biomes in South AfricaPredictions of the effects of climate change on natural ecosystems in South Africa, over the medium to long term, have included reduced spatial extent of the Grassland biome (Ellery et al. 1991) and an increase in the ex...